Amnesty International has longstanding concerns on Azerbaijan’s human rights record, including undue restrictions of the rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly; reprisals against human rights defenders and journalists; an effective ban on independent human rights monitoring and reporting in the country; widespread violations of the right to a fair trial; and abuse of the criminal justice system for political purposes.
ARBITRARY DETENTION AND POLITICALLY MOTIVATED ARRESTS
Independent civil society organizations have been closed, while human rights defenders and other individuals understood to be critical of the authorities have been detained or imprisoned under politically motivated charges or forced into exile. The few that remain seek to use their independent, critical voices and face the risk of severe reprisals.
Azerbaijani human rights defenders estimate that approximately 300 people remain in pre-trial detention, or are imprisoned following grossly unfair trials, on politically motivated charges.1 This includes human rights defenders, journalists, peaceful protesters and political and other activists, who are held in conditions which do not meet international human rights standards, and who are often denied access to their family members, lawyers, and adequate medical care. Several activists and other government critics are facing travel bans and cannot leave the country. In addition, relatives and family members of government critics have also been targeted, either by smear campaigns or by the freezing of their assets through financial sanctions.
Since Azerbaijan was announced as the host of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP29) in December 2023, the authorities have engaged in an intensified crackdown on civil society, similar to previous crackdowns documented by Amnesty International around other major international events hosted by Azerbaijan, including Eurovision 20122 and the European Games 2015.3 Independent Azerbaijani voices were missing from COP29, held in Baku, Azerbaijan, from 11–22 November 2024, with many activists and journalists either behind bars or in exile. The few who were granted official entry to COP29 told Amnesty International that they were afraid to speak on the conference site out of fear of reprisals.
Amnesty International sought, but was not granted, access to imprisoned activists and journalists while its delegates were in Azerbaijan. This included the denial of access to the court building after requesting permission to attend the remand hearing of human rights defender Anar Mammadli on 20 November 2024.
